


Incredible, Exceptional, and Extraordinary

by Bythesea3



Category: SpongeBob SquarePants (Cartoon), The SpongeBob Musical - Various/Anthony & Coulton/Jarrow
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-14
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:34:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22703293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bythesea3/pseuds/Bythesea3
Summary: What happened after Bikini Bottom was saved? This is a series of connected stories depicting the aftermath of the events of the Spongebob Musical.
Relationships: Sandy Cheeks/SpongeBob SquarePants
Comments: 15
Kudos: 28





	1. Best Day Ever

**Author's Note:**

> I had so many head canons for what happened to everyone after the events of the musical that I decided to start writing this series! I hope you enjoy! Just a forewarning that this story may end up being a bit ooc at times!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I debated about whether or not Sandy would be able to wear other clothes besides her suit outside of her treedome like in the show, but I let it slide since she’s still got her “helmet” on lol

Bubbles cascaded around the townspeople, surrounding them in a sparkling swirl of marvelous saving grace. A wave of collective relief took over the town, the threat of doomsday being put to rest instantly with the confirmation of the multitude of thin spheres of effervescing liquid. Spongebob had been the first to step forward, holding his hands out to touch the bubbles in hopes that the contact would prove that this wasn’t just a beautiful dream.

“Look, Sandy. Bubbles! Your device worked, just like you said!” he cried out, voice slightly breaking from the overwhelming happiness he felt. A murmur arose from the crowd at finding out that the eruption was halted by a device created by the squirrel herself. Nervous glances were shared throughout the group of fish, guilt evident in their expressions. Old Man Jenkins hesitantly approached Sandy, on the brink of embarrassment and almost afraid to show himself seeing as he had been one of the main catalysts for the hatred towards her.

“Y-you did this?” he shakily questioned the mammal.

Taking Spongebob and Patrick’s hands in hers, Sandy empathetically stepped towards the elder fish.

“ _We_ did.'' She smiled warmly.

“Thank you- thank you!” Jenkins stuttered as he stepped back into the crowd. The land creature and sea creature nodded at each other, forming a silent truce. It had taken a minute for the town to convince Sandy to stay after what they had done to her, but she finally agreed.

The celebrations that took place after were seeping with joy, and the Bikini Bottomites were closer than they had ever been before. The team of tres managed to make their way through the boisterous crowds, weaving through the streets lined with what was left over of the destruction from the chaos that occurred just hours prior to make their escape for the night.

Spongebob’s pineapple appeared before them as a beacon of light amidst the remaining rubble. Spongebob was certainly shocked to say the least that his house hadn’t been more destroyed than it was; it had only obtained a cracked window and a bit of peeling on the eastern side by the garage. Unlocking the front door and pushing it open, Spongebob instantly collapsed on the floor, exhaustion finally washing over him. Patrick and Sandy were at his sides right away, hoisting him up by his arms and maneuvering him over to the couch. As they gently laid him down on it, Sandy asked Patrick for something inaudible to Spongebob, and he left quickly to retrieve it. Sandy situated herself on the floor in front of the couch, leaning against it while holding her hand against Spongebob’s cheek. She ran her finger along it lovingly.

“How’re ya doin’, little buddy? You did such a good job today, I’m so proud of you.” She cooed softly, her Texan drawl a comfort to Spongebob. He offered her a weak smile and opened his eyes slightly, and she mirrored his smile back at him.

Patrick returned soon after, handing Sandy the item she had requested. Spongebob quickly discovered that it was a washcloth, and the feeling of its warmth against his forehead felt like heaven as all the tension his little body held slowly began to melt away. Patrick and Sandy shared a knowing look with each other as Spongebob let out a sigh.

“Hey, Sponge. We’re here for you. Always.” Pat put his hand on Spongebob’s shoulder in an offer of comfort. Spongebob mustered up a bit of strength and placed his hand atop Pat’s. Sandy stood up after a moment and stretched, her muscles beginning to ache from the climbing they had done earlier.

“Alright, I think it’s about time we settle down and whip up some grub, y’all must be starving after today.” Sandy spoke as she dusted off her suit.

“Heh, I know I am”. Patrick chuckled as he moved to seat himself in Spongebob’s armchair. As Sandy turned towards the direction of the kitchen, Spongebob grabbed her by the hand.

“Thank you, Sandy.” Spongebob spoke slowly, sincerity seeping out of every pore. Sandy smiled down at him and squeezed his hand.

“You’re welcome, Spongebob.” She whispered and smiled warmly before departing for the kitchen. Spongebob leaned back and closed his eyes yet again, savoring his well deserved rest.

He could hear the familiar sound of Patrick leaning over to the side table to grab the remote before turning on the television. The best friends were surprisingly shocked to hear that Perch’s “The end is coming” broadcast had already been replaced with live footage from the celebrations still happening down at the townsquare which were sure to go on through the next morning.

“I wonder how long it’ll take for the town to be rebuilt. I’m just glad we’ve got the time to do it!” Pat remarked as he scratched his stomach.

“Yeah, I know what you mean, buddy. I’d be more than happy to help everyone, but knowing Mr. Krabs, I’ll be expected to be at work bright and early tomorrow morning.” Spongebob chuckled and shook his head as he thought about his boss; even though Krabs had been the one to label him as ‘simple’, Spongebob had a lot of respect for him.

“Uh, Sponge, I may not know much about anything, but I definitely know that you shouldn’t go back to work tomorrow. You just risked your life to save everyone’s lives! I think Mr. Krabs can afford to give you a day, if not a few days off.” Patrick stated matter-of-factly.

“Well, I guess you’re right, but I wanna at least give him a call and ask instead of just not showing up. It wouldn't be very ‘managerly’ of me.”

As if on cue, Spongebob’s shell phone started vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out and found a new text message from Mr. Krabs.

_“Hey boy-o, hope everythin’s alright with ye. I’m sure ye must be tired, I decided that it would be best to close up shop fer the next week or so as everyone rebuilds. Get some rest, son, and I’m sure I’ll see ye soon enough-Mr.K”_

Spongebob blinked in surprise as he read the text.

“Those sardines must have been somewhat right about you, Pat. I think you must have some kind of power of prediction, check this out.” Spongebob tossed the phone over to Patrick to read.

“See? Told you! I’m kinda surprised at how fast Mr. Krabs decided to close the Krusty Krab though, I was sure that he would’ve already been trying to cater the parties going on right now!” Pat laughed as he handed the phone back. Spongebob sat up a bit on the couch and stretched his legs out more.

“Yeah, me too. Maybe he’s had a change of heart? I know he realized that he needs to spend more time with Pearl, so that might have something to do with it.” Spongebob recalled in his mind the countless times that Pearl had come to him, crying about how her father wasn’t listening to her. She had needed someone to vent to that wasn’t one of her highschool friends since they couldn’t understand her to the extent that Spongebob could (seeing as he spent way more time around Mr. Krabs than even she did), and he was happy to be able to give her some comfort.

“Oh, well that’s good! I’m just glad everyone’s getting along again.” Pat smiled as he settled more into the chair, grabbing one of Spongebob’s throw blankets and placing it over his lap in the process. Spongebob nodded before turning his attention back to the televised celebration.

Another buzz from his pocket snapped Spongebob out of his staring contest with the television screen, and he was met with a follow-up text from Krabs.

_“Oh, boy-o, by the way: I’ll be down at the town square this week sellin’ these commemorative t-shirts if yer lookin’ for me!”_

Another message quickly followed, and it was a low-quality photo of a shirt with ‘Happy Reconstruction!- from your friends down at the Krusty Krab’ written on it, emphasis on the ‘Krusty Krab’ lettering. Spongebob laughed to himself and shook his head. _Good ole’ Mr. Krabs_. After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Sandy appeared in the entryway to the kitchen.

“Alright, boys, food’s ready! I hope ya don’t mind, Spongebob, but I used up the rest of that Krabby Patty meat ya had in the back of your fridge to whip up a batch of my home famous Texas style chili!” Sandy spoke as she brought a bowl of chili over to both boys.

“Thank you, Sandy! This smells delicious! And I’m glad you used up that meat, I’d been meaning to make something with it a few days ago but I never got around to it.” Spongebob smiled.

“Oh, I found Gary too! Poor lil’ fella was hidin’ inside of the cabinet and shakin’ like a rattlesnake at a dance club.” Sandy reached around the corner and picked up Gary, carrying him over and placing the snail on Spongebob’s lap.

“Gary! I’m so glad you’re okay!” Spongebob put his bowl on the side table before wrapping his arms around his beloved pet. A muffled ‘meow’ sounded from against Spongebob’s chest.

“I’m so sorry I didn’t go find you as soon as I got back, I was just so out of it! Can you forgive me, buddy?” Gary happily meowed back before making himself comfy in the crook of Spongebob’s arm.

Sandy returned a moment later with her own bowl and settled in next to him on the couch. Patrick’s eyes went wide as he looked down at his bowl of chili, barely stuttering out a ‘thank you’ before diving in. He had been so caught up in the commotion of being a guru to the sardines and saving his friends that he had shockingly forgotten to eat anything for the past day or so. By the time Spongebob had let his chili cool for a minute and took his first bite, Pat was already done with his first bowl. Sandy, keen as ever of her surroundings, noticed quickly that he had finished. Before he even had the chance to ask, she motioned towards the kitchen with her spoon.

“There’s plenty more chili out on the stove, Pat. Just be real careful of the pot, it’s still hotter than a habanero pepper in a tanning bed!” Spongebob chuckled at her analogy as Pat stood up.

“Thanks, Sandy! It’s really good, you should make it more often!” Pat smiled as he quickly made a b-line for the kitchen.

Spongebob gently placed Gary on the floor and then proceeded to slip off his shoes. He had been so tired when he got home that he completely neglected to leave his shoes by the door. Pulling his legs up on the couch and under the blanket, he watched Sandy for a moment with a bit of curiosity.

“Pat’s right, this chili is really good! I never knew you could cook so well.” Sandy’s face displayed the slightest hint of blush at the compliment as she put her bowl down.

“Gee-golly, Spongebob, thank you kindly.” She cast her glance downward, almost embarrassed.

“Hey, Sandy? Can we talk about what happened last night? It’s ok if you’d prefer not to, but I just can’t stop thinking about it… I mean not in a creepy way! Urg, I mean-”

''Settle down, Spongebob. Just breathe for a second.” Sandy put her hand on his shoulder to snap him out of his nervous stuttering. The said ‘what’ that happened last night had been significant to say the least, and it was just as impactful to Spongebob as climbing the mountain.

_Spongebob and Sandy had been at his house late the night before, Sandy having just convinced Spongebob to not give up after Patrick had abandoned them. The duo had been sitting in the same exact spot, watching the same broadcast but under much darker circumstances. Sandy had surveyed Spongebob’s facial expression, absent of his usual perkiness and replaced with creases of worry along with dark circles under his eyes from the stress of the situation. Sandy had turned off the depressing news channel in an instant and took his hands in hers._

_“Hey, Spongebob. Whatcha thinkin’ ‘bout?” Sandy had spoken softly, rubbing her thumbs over the back of his hands in encouragement. Spongebob sighed and turned to face her, looking completely and utterly drained._

_“What if this really is our last night? Everyone is so scared and sad, Patrick is gone, and there’s so many things I still want to do that I might never even get a chance to. I know that I’m always the one ready for anything, but right now, I’m not so sure I can keep acting like everything’s gonna be fine.” At that moment, Sandy had never seen anyone so completely destroyed as he was._

_“I know this is hard, buddy. I reckon I ain’t never been this afraid in my life. But we gotta keep going, right? There ain’t no point in not trying, and, who knows? Maybe this won’t be our last night, but nothin’ll change if we don’t give it a shot.”_

_Upon hearing her words, Spongebob let out a choked sob and hugged her. Sandy returned the hug, rubbing small, slow circles into the base of his back to comfort him. When they pulled away, Sandy returned her hands to his shoulders._

_“Hey, it’s gonna be alright. Say, why don’t you tell me some of those things you said you’ve always wanted to do?” Spongebob’s face went pale for a moment before quickly turning bright red._

_“Uh, they’re really embarrassing, I, um... '' Spongebob looked down, averting Sandy’s gaze._

_"C’mon, you can tell me! I won’t laugh at ya!”_

_“Umm, well, I uh- I’ve never been kissed by anyone before. Not even in grade school… I always seemed like the only kid who never got their first kiss… I-I know it’s so silly and childish of me, but-” In an instant, Spongebob found himself being silenced by Sandy’s lips on his. His eyes went wide with surprise before closing, melting into the kiss. The tiniest moan sounded from the back of Spongebob’s throat in response to the new feeling, and Sandy’s grip on his shoulders tightened. A moment later, Sandy slowly withdrew from his warmth and sat back on her knees, watching Spongebob’s reaction. He appeared to be in a state of total bliss and disbelief, his eyes dreamily glazed over and his lips parted slightly. Sandy stayed quiet to let him regain his composure, and a minute later he slowly looked at her._

_“W-wow, Sandy. I don’t know what to say.” She reached down and held his hands in hers._

_“You don’t gotta say nothin’. I hope you don’t mind that I just gone an’ done that without askin’ ya first.” Spongebob looked down at their interlocked fingers and gave her hands a reassuring squeeze._

_“Aw, Sandy. I didn’t mind at all! That was better than I had ever expected, to tell you the truth. Thank you.” Spongebob smiled as he pulled her in for another hug._

_“I might not be able to give ya everything you’d dreamed of in the time we have left, but I sure am glad that I was able to give you that experience.” As if on cue, the clock on Spongebob’s wall began to chime, indicating that it was midnight. Sandy looked back at Spongebob and smiled sadly._

_“Well, I guess I best be goin’ on home. Gotta get to work on that ingenius bubble device and whatnot. And you need to get some sleep, you’re gonna need all the energy you can get considerin’ we’re gonna be busier than a soccer mom runnin’ errands tomorrow.” Sandy let her hands slowly slip out of Spongebob’s as she stood up and made her way to the front door._

_“Wait, Sandy! Are you gonna be okay trying to get back to the treedome by yourself? What if they’re all waiting outside of your place for you to get back?” Spongebob quickly stood up and began hurrying towards her before she put her hand up, motioning for him to stop._

_“I’ll be alright. This Texas squirrel has got a lot of tricks up her sleeve. A while back I developed a hidden entryway underground to get in and out of the treedome in the case of an emergency, and I’ve also got my trusty nunchucks in my back pocket if I really need to protect myself.” Sandy explained before turning for the door again._

_“Alright, Sandy. See you tomorrow then.” Spongebob wrung his hands together, the nervousness already beginning to brew in the pit of his stomach at the mere thought of what tomorrow would bring. Smiling fondly back and nodding at the sponge once more, Sandy disappeared out the door, leaving Spongebob standing alone in his living room._

_“Meow” Gary crawled over to him and stopped at his feet. “Aw, Gare-bear.” Spongebob crouched down and rubbed his hand softly along the side of Gary’s shell, warm memories of the day he got his beloved pet coming to the forefront of his mind. Holding back tears, Spongebob picked the snail up and cradled him in his arms._

_"Why don’t you sleep up on my bed with me tonight, okay pal?” Gary purred in response, and after one last glance around his living room, Spongebob headed upstairs for what would possibly be his last night ever._

The situation had been recurring in the back of his mind ever since it happened, and it continually nagged him.

“So, about that, Spongebob. I know I already said it, but I really am sorry for kissing you without even askin’ ya first. ‘Specially since it was y’all’s first time. I reckon I’m probably not no one’s first choice for somethin’ as special as that.” Sandy cast her glance away from him, chuckling sadly at her own statement. At that moment, Spongebob realized just how pretty Sandy really was. Despite the fact that she hadn’t slept in over 24 hours and that she was still in yesterday’s makeup (which was currently smudging down her face from the heat of the volcano), Spongebob thought she was one of the prettiest girls he had ever seen.

“Hey, Sandy, don’t be so hard on yourself! I know plenty of people who would do anything to have a chance with you. To be honest, there isn’t anyone else that I would’ve preferred to share my first kiss with. I’m so glad it was you.” Spongebob confessed, blushing at his own words. He hadn’t particularly wanted to put all of his deep thoughts out in the open so quickly, but something inside him pushed him to reveal it. Sandy’s head snapped back up in his direction at that, and she almost looked like she was on the verge of tears.

“Really, Spongebob? Ya truly mean that?” Sandy implored, fixated on Spongebob.

“Of course I do, Sandy.” Spongebob beamed, smiling back at her earnestly. Loud cheering interrupted their quiet moment, and they both focused their attention back to the television. Larry the Lobster was currently on screen, using his abundance of muscles to push some of the larger boulders off of the street. A crowd was surrounding him, jubilantly cheering him on. Spongebob grabbed the remote and turned the volume down.

“Hey,we should cook together sometime! Why didn’t you ever tell me you could cook?” Spongebob gently asked, hoping to make her feel comfortable after unloading so much emotional baggage on her at once. Sandy looked down at the floor, her hands twitching nervously.

“Well, to be honest with ya, it’s probably cuz’ it reminds me o’ home so much. I used to cook all the time with Ma an’ Pa back on the ranch, but I got carried away with my experiments and karate practice that we ended up not havin’ time to cook together as often. And then things happened, I made up my mind to push on from Texas, and now I’m here.” Sandy shrugged at the sponge as she hugged her arms around her middle. As Sandy spoke, she had this certain twinkle in her eye, clearly reminiscing about her Texas days.

“Aw, gee, Sandy. I’m sorry about that.” Spongebob reached over and put his hand on her shoulder before smiling again.

“Hey, maybe we could start some new cooking memories together! That is, only if you'd like to.” Sandy looked back at him, a grin slowly forming across her face.

“I’d love that, Spongebob.” The two smiled at each other just as Patrick returned with a fresh bowl of chili. Spongebob quickly removed his hand from Sandy’s shoulder and blushed, folding his hands neatly in his lap.

“Did I miss anything on the news?” Patrick inquired as he plopped back down in his chair.

“Umm, there was some coverage of Larry helping to move boulders out of the street, but besides that, everyone’s still celebrating.” Spongebob trailed off as he glanced at Sandy again.

“Oh, okay. Hey, that reminds me! I think I might head back into town tomorrow morning, I can help push stuff too! I am the _brawn_ , after all!” Patrick proudly stated through spoonfuls of chili.

“You’re right, Pat. I think I should go with you since Mr. Krabs gave me the day off, there’s so many people that need my help and I’m sure I can-”

“No you ain’t, Squarepants. Hold your seahorses. You ain’t doin’ nothin’ tomorrow besides taking a day for yerself to rest.” Sandy put her hand on his chest and gently pushed him back against the couch.

“But, Sandy, I-”

“I know you wanna help everyone, little buddy, but you’ve done so much for them already. Y’all’ll have plenty more chances to help ‘em out soon enough, but you gotta take care of yerself first.” Sandy sighed and put her hands on her hips, feeling an awful lot like a mother disciplining her son. Spongebob knew better than to argue with the girl squirrel and slumped back in defeat.

“Okay, Sandy. I understand.” Sandy smiled, his response sufficient enough for her. Glancing over to the clock, Sandy whistled.

“Woooh, doggy! Is it really already 2:30am? Yeesh, we better git some shut-eye. I’m about as tired as a tortoise that just crawled a marathon!” Sandy stood up and stretched once again.

“Uh, Sandy? You’re not gonna walk home alone, right? You can stay here! You too, Pat.” A look of concern crossed over Spongebob’s face as he stared up at his friend with wide eyes. Pat gave a quick thumbs up, his mouth still full of chili. Sandy glanced out the window, catching the sight of the rubble strewn about.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, Spongebob.” Spongebob instantly snapped into host mode, yanking the pull-out bed from the couch.

“Yay, slumber party! One guest bed, fresh off the grill! Order up, Mr. Star!” Spongebob bowed before breaking out into a fit of giggles with Patrick. Being BFFs, it was common for Patrick to stay the night often, so much so that Spongebob always had an extra pair of Pat’s pyjamas in his closet in the event that he forgot to bring some. Sandy cleared her throat, interrupting their laughter.

“Uh, Spongebob? Where should I sleep?”

_Whoops. He hadn’t thought about that_.

Despite the fact that Spongebob had a full size library in his home, he had somehow never added a separate guest room.

“Ummm, I guess the only other spot is my bed, it’s much bigger than the pull-out bed. But I understand if you’d rather not sleep on the same bed as me-” Spongebob and Sandy both looked over at Patrick, who had just burped rather loudly and was now intently scratching his backside.

“Yer bed’ll be fine, I don’t mind.” Spongebob wrung his hands together.

“Uh, do you need pyjamas too? I’ve got an old t-shirt I got from Glove World a few years ago that I’ve never worn that you could wear, I may have some sweatpants in one of my drawers, too…”

“That’ll be right swell, buddy.” Sandy smiled.

“Okay! Uh, Pat? You know where everything is, you all set for the night?”

“Yup. Night, you guys!” Patrick flashed finger guns in their direction before disappearing down the hallway, heading to collect his sleepover accessories from the hall closet. Spongebob nodded and hurried upstairs to find said articles of clothing, motioning for Sandy to follow him.

“There’s clean towels in the bathroom if you wanna take a shower and extra toiletries in the bin under the sink. Don’t hesitate to ask if you need anything! I’ll leave your clothes outside the bathroom door.”

“A shower actually sounds great right about now, I’ve been sweatin’ like a pig near a barbeque joint. Thank ya, Spongebob!” Sandy left for the bathroom, and Spongebob could hear the familiar sound of his shower starting up.

“Meow.” Gary mewled down by his feet.

“You’re right, Gary. I need to get my head outta the clouds! It’s just Sandy! I’ve known her forever! I shouldn’t be so nervous about having her sleep in the same bed as me, we’re friends! Let’s go get ready for bed.” Spongebob and Gary entered the bedroom, and Gary settled down on his stack of newspapers. Spongebob quickly changed into his own pyjamas, a matching set of blue pants and long-sleeve nightshirt. Before hopping into bed, Spongebob ran down the hall and deposited the clothes for Sandy outside the bathroom door. Returning to his room, Spongebob knelt down and pet Gary. He could hear footsteps padding down the hall toward his room.

“Alright, Spongebob! I’m all ready fer bed if y’all are!”

“Okay, Sandy! I hope the shower was alright, did you find everything you needed-” Spongebob cut himself off as soon as he turned around and caught a glimpse of Sandy, his heart leaping into his throat at the sight of her. Clad in _his_ t-shirt and _his_ sweatpants, she leaned against the doorway, helmet still on so she could breathe.

“Yessir! I feel a lot better after that shower, I was startin’ to feel as grimy as the underside of a table at the Chum Bucket!”

“Heh, well I’m glad those clothes worked out for you! Sorry that I don’t have anything better for you.” Sandy crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.

“That’s alright, these are mighty fine! So, I guess we should best be gettin’ into bed now?” Spongebob looked from Sandy to his bed, gulping hesitantly.

“Uh, y-yeah! I’m pretty tired.” Spongebob ran to turn off the light before taking the side of the bed closest to Gary and slid under the blanket, Sandy following suit. They both laid there in silence for a moment, staring up at the ceiling.

“Y’know, I still can’t believe we did all that. I can’t believe _you_ did that. I’m so, so proud of ya.” Sandy spoke as she crossed her arms behind her head.

“I know, I can hardly believe it either. Thank you for everything, Sandy. I couldn’t have done it without you.” Spongebob went still as he felt Sandy lean over and kiss him on his forehead.

“Goodnight, Spongebob.” Spongebob felt the bed dip slightly as Sandy turned on her side, pulling the blanket up over her shoulders. He smiled and let out a sigh of relief, the scariest yet most rewarding day of his life finally over.

“Goodnight, Sandy.”


	2. The Morning After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the dawn of another typical Bikini Bottom day, and the town begins to rebuild. While the team of tres gets to work, Squidward takes a moment to reflect on the events that occurred during the past 24 hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter is finally here, apologies for the delay! There's a lot of angst in this chapter for poor Squiddy, but I promise he'll feel a little better soon lol  
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> For reference, the song that Patrick is listening to on the radio is Squeeze Me by N.E.R.D :)

Reaching lazily over to the side table, Spongebob silenced his foghorn alarm. He snuggled back into the warmth of his bed, not having opened his eyes yet. _Just five more minutes, I promise. My bed feels extra comfy this morning._ Spongebob smiled to himself, cuddling deeper into the softness of his pillow. _Heh, it’s kinda strange. My mattress has never felt this soft before. Or so squishy. Or so warm. Huh, it’s almost as if-_ Spongebob’s eyes snapped open when his thoughts put two and two together. He found himself practically wrapped around Sandy, his legs intertwined with hers and his arms hugging around her middle.

Spongebob blushed further when he realized the softness he was cuddling into had indeed been Sandy’s chest and most certainly _not_ his pillow. He was about to panic and move himself away from her, but he calmed down a bit when he realized that _her_ arms were wrapped around _him_ , too. _Well, at least she hasn’t pushed me away yet_. Spongebob held his breath when he felt Sandy begin to shift a bit, starting to wake up as well from the intruding blare of the nautical alarm. In a moment of panic, Spongebob feigned complete grogginess. He didn’t want Sandy to find out that he had actively allowed himself to stay in their compromising position as his embarrassment would never be able to live it down.

“Spongebob? Wake up, little buddy. Ya got me wrangled like a bull, I can barely move.” Sandy lightly shook him, her voice still scratchy from having just woken up. Spongebob made a big show of yawning dramatically and staring up at her before quickly separating himself from her body.

“Oh shoot! I’m sorry, Sandy! I must’ve moved over like this in my sleep, I didn’t mean to touch you like that!” Spongebob earnestly apologized, nervously pulling on one of his sleeves. Sandy raised her eyebrows and smirked at him, his overly cautious worry amusing her.

“It’s ok, Spongebob! No worries! You were pretty comfy yerself!” She laughed and ruffled his hair. Regaining some confidence, Spongebob sat up and puffed out his chest, putting his arms on his hips like a superhero.

“Well, I am a sponge, after all. We’re known for our world-class squishy qualities!”

Sandy chuckled and shook her head at his comedic display.

“You’re funny, you know that? Hey, you hungry? I’m hankerin’ for a good ol’ cup-o-joe right about now. And afterwards, maybe we can head over to the treedome to assess the damage while Pat’s in town.” Sandy stretched her arms over her head and sighed happily while Spongebob jumped out of bed.

“Yeah, sure! I’m ready! Huh, Gary’s not here. He must’ve gotten a head start, he loves to read the morning paper!” Spongebob smiled, picturing Gary going out to collect the paper on his little custom skateboard like he did every morning. Soon enough, their attention was drawn towards downstairs as the unmistakable hum of Spongebob’s kitchen radio made its way through the house.

“Do you hear that?”

Sandy’s keen ears twitched and she nodded in response.

“That’s funny, I don’t remember leaving my radio on overnight. Maybe Gary realized that there wouldn’t be a newspaper delivery this morning, and he’s probably trying to find the news on the radio! He’s the cutest! I just hope he hasn’t woken Patrick up.” Spongebob rambled as the duo made their way down the stairs and through the living room. The pull-out bed was completely unoccupied by any sea stars, now only occupied by a few blankets strewn across it messily. Spongebob and Sandy looked back at each other and shrugged as the music intensified. Following the sound, they peeked into the kitchen to find Patrick, still clad in his pyjamas and dancing around while pouring himself a cup of coffee. Gary was sitting by the fridge, happily munching on his morning Snail-Po. Laid out on the table in front of them was a breakfast feast, complete with silverware and plates set at each seat.

“Morning! You guys want some coffee? Gary taught me how to use the coffee machine!” Patrick danced his way over to his friends, handing each of them a coffee mug. Sandy and Spongebob accepted the coffee, sharing a look with each other as they moved to sit at the table.

“I can’t cook as well as you guys, so hopefully this is alright!”

“Pat, this is great! Thank you! And thanks for helping with the coffee, Gare-bear!” Spongebob nodded at Pat as he looked over towards his beloved pet.

“Meow-meow!” Gary mewled, seemingly saying ‘no problem!’.

“Yeah, thank y'all! To be honest with ya, Pat, I thought y’all would’ve still been sleepin’ like a hibernatin’ bear right about now.” Sandy chuckled lightheartedly as she took a sip of her coffee. Pat laughed along with her as he turned off the stove.

“That’s understandable, I even surprised myself! I guess I’m just still running off that adrenaline from yesterday and I wanted to do something for you guys.” Pat finished up washing his hands at the sink before joining the sponge and squirrel at the table.

“I wasn’t sure what you guys would be in the mood for, so I made a few different things. I fried up some slices of canned coral, I found a box of Kelp-o in the cabinet, and I toasted some bread with sea-nut butter on the side.” Patrick pointed out each item proudly as he spoke.

“Aw, Pat! This is more than enough, it’s perfect! Thanks, buddy! I think I’m gonna have a little bit of everything! Who wants the first plate?” Spongebob smiled as he began to make up a plate of food for each of his best friends.

\------------------------------  
 _Meanwhile…_  
\------------------------------  
 _Oh, my aching tentacles_ … Squidward moaned to himself, the sound muffled from the blanket that was pulled over his head to shield his eyes from the sunlight seeping in through the window. His mind still muddled with the chaos from the night before, Squidward groaned and lazily slung all four legs over the side of the bed. Coming home much later than his typical bedtime of 9pm proved to be a bad choice in regards to his grouchiness, but he supposed he hadn’t had much of a choice when his niece and her best friend had whisked him off to celebrate their survival of the doomsday threat.

_“C’mon, Uncle Squiddy!” Pearl yelled over the cheers of the crowd as she grabbed Squidward’s tentacle._

_“Yeah, come with us, Squidward! We’re going back to Pearl’s house to celebrate!” Pearl’s best friend Merlina took his other tentacle in her fin, pleading with him to follow them. Every fibre of his being wanted to pull away and refuse so he could retreat back to the safety of his easter island head, but he just couldn’t say no to his girls. And, he had to admit, being referred to as ‘Uncle Squiddy’ made him feel wanted again. Way back when she was just a baby and Mr. Krabs had taken her in as one of his own, Squidward had been there to help him. It had started out as little babysitting jobs for his boss here and there in an effort to make more money, but Squidward had eventually grown to love her. Through the countless diaper changes, bottle feedings, sleepless nights, and even witnessing her first steps, the cephalopod had become quite protective of the young whale. Ever since, Squidward had always thought of her as his niece, and likewise, though unspoken on his part, Eugene had always thought of Squidward as an honorary member of the Krabs family._

_The familiar anchor shape of the Krab’s residence came into view as Squidward was dragged along behind the excited teenagers. Mr. Krabs had beat them back home, already working on unlocking the door. He turned around when he heard the commotion of footsteps approaching from up the walkway, and he smiled at the sight of the trio._

_“Mr. Squidward! Ahoy, bucko! Aye, and there’s me girls!” Mr. Krabs held his arms open wide as the girls crashed into him, hugging him tightly. Squidward stood by himself and crossed his arms awkwardly, watching the endearing display of affection. The girls let go after a moment and hurried inside inside the house, leaving the two men out on the front stoop. Squidward was about to take a step into the house before Mr. Krabs put a claw on his shoulder._

_“It’s good to have you back here, boy-o. Feels just like the old days before me little Pearlie grew up all of a sudden, ye know?” Squidward’s face softened as he glanced from the claw on his shoulder to his boss._

_“Well, it’s kind of good to be back, sir.”_

_Krabs laughed kind-heartedly and pat Squidward on the back before turning towards the entrance._

_“Aye, lad. And call me Eugene, there’s no need fer work formalities in this house. We’re all family here.”_

_Squidward nodded and followed Mr. Krabs into the house, his heart lighting up ever so slightly at the term ‘family’. With his father being out of the picture and not having any other close relatives, Squidward had always felt extremely isolated, and the passing of his dear mother years prior had not helped the situation. Being considered a part of the Krabs family helped to ease his isolation issues and it meant the world to him (though his fragile ego would never let him admit something like that out loud)._

_“But come next shift, ye better go back to usin’ ‘Mr. Krabs’ or ye’ll be on bathroom duty for a week.” Mr. Krabs winked and laughed again as he disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Squidward once again alone in the living room. Despite being the complete opposite of his sophisticated interior design tastes, the Krabs living room was always a comfort to Squidward. Making a mental note to visit more often, Squidward sighed and made himself comfy in his usual chair closest to the fireplace. He could hear the girls giggling together upstairs, probably setting up for a slumber party like they always used to do. It was hard to believe that just a few hours prior, Squidward thought that they were all going to be destroyed by the volcano. The clinking of glass pulled Squidward out of his thoughts as Mr. Krabs returned, holding a couple of shot glasses and an ancient looking bottle. Squidward raised his eyebrow at the crab as he took a seat across from him._

_“Whaddya say, Mr. Squidward? You up for a good ole’ glass of sailor’s gin? I know I rarely bring it out since it’s so expensive, but I believe tonight calls for a celebratory toast!”_

_“Alright, Eugene. I guess I’ll humor you for a bit. But I’m just having one!” Squidward watched intently as Krabs smiled, pouring the alcohol up to the brim of each glass. He started to hand one to Squidward, but pulled back quickly and cleared his throat._

_“Before we toast, I just wanted to say that I apolergize for how I’ve been treatin’ ye at work recently. Ye know I’ve still got me old navy sailor blood pumpin’ through me veins, but that don’t give me a pass to treat me loyal crew that way. I hope ye can fergive me, Squidward.”_

_Squidward was taken aback at Mr. Krabs’s apologetic confession. He was aware that the man had issues in the past with depression, but he never really got to see this vulnerable side of his boss. Squidward motioned for Krabs to pass him the glass and held it up._

_“You, know, just two days ago, I thought we’d never get back to the way things used to be between us. But considering the circumstances of what we’ve been through, I think there will always be room for forgiveness, Eugene. I do forgive you. Now, let’s toast to our newly kindled friendship before I get way too sappy!” Squidward and Krabs clinked their glasses together before downing their drinks in one gulp. Mr. Krabs barely even had a reaction to the strong gin while Squidward physically shuddered, his face grimacing as he tasted it._

_“Heh, just like old times, Mr. Squidward. Ye never could get used to the strong stuff. It’s just like drinkin’ water to me! That’s just what the navy does to ya, I suppose.” Mr. Krabs laughed again and pulled Squidward’s tentacle into a hearty handshake. The cephalopod just rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out, causing Krabs to let out another cackle. Settling back into his armchair, Mr. Krabs sighed. A moment of peaceful silence passed before the girls came bounding down the stairs, sporting matching pink heart pyjamas._

_“There’s me girls! Havin’ a slumber party, are ye?” Krabs flashed a smile at them._

_“Yeah, Daddy! We were just coming down to make something to eat, you guys want anything?”_

_Krabs put a claw to his chin, pensively debating on his answer._

_“Sure, darlin’! How’s about you whip up a couple of them there sandwiches for Mr. Squidward and yer dear father?”_

_“Ok, dad!” Pearl and Merlina hurried off to the kitchen to prepare said sandwiches while Mr. Krabs went to work on getting the fireplace running._

_A mix of barnacle loaf sandwiches, board games, and laughs over the course of a few hours later, Squidward, Krabs, Pearl, and Merlina were lounging in front of the roaring fireplace, all completely exhausted but very happy. Squidward had gone back on his declaration of just one alcoholic beverage and managed to down four more helpings of gin, along with Mr. Krabs who had drank five more. Pearl and Merlina sat on the rug in front of the fireplace, huddled under the purple comforter from Pearl’s bed and sipping hot chocolate. Mr. Krabs had certainly been correct about his and Squidward’s differences in the ability to handle liquor; he felt just the slightest bit buzzed while Squidward was sprawled out across his seat, cheeks red and eyelids drooping slightly. He was definitely a bit drunk._

_“You know, girls, I really can’t believe how fast you’ve grown up. I remember sitting here like this with you so many years ago. This feels just like old times.” Squidward’s words were slurred a bit as he attempted to sit up._

_“I know, Uncle Squiddy. We did have some pretty good times, didn’t we?” Pearl leaned her back against the side of Squidward’s chair, tilting her head backwards to look up at him._

_“Yeah. Heh, remember when you used to come over to my house and you’d try to open up all my acrylic paints? And you always wanted to play all my instruments, too.” Squidward giggled, fondly recalling how close they used to be._

_“Oh yeah! I remember I begged Daddy to buy me a clarinet so I could be just like you! He wouldn’t budge though, and the closest thing I had to your clarinet was a little whistle I got as a prize from a cereal box.” Pearl shook her head and smirked. Merlina placed her mug on the coffee table and pulled the comforter around her again._

_“Remember that time that we gave you a makeover, Squidward? That was the best!” Merlina chuckled._

_“How could I forget? It must’ve taken me a week to remove every bit of makeup from my eyes afterwards. I was lucky that plum is one of my colors.” Squidward feigned a frown for a moment before laughing along with the girls. Oh, how the years had passed by so quickly. Pearl pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and gazed at the little screen._

_“Whoa! It’s getting really late, it’s already 2:30am. We should head up to bed, Merlina.” The whale’s friend nodded in response as the two stood up from their spots on the rug._

_“Goodnight, Uncle Squiddy. Goodnight, Daddy.” Pearl ran over to each man and hugged them while Merlina waved goodbye. The girls clambered up the stairs, leaving the employee and his boss alone. The only lightsource in the room came from the dancing flames in the fireplace, softly illuminating the room’s features in an orange glow._

_“You know, I much rather prefer this orange view over Code Orange any day.” Squidward chuckled, sinking further into his chair._

_“Aye, lad, you ain’t kiddin’. Our boy did good today, didn’t he?”_

Our boy.

_At the mention of Spongebob, Squidward tensed up and tightly gripped the arms of the chair. Ever since the little yellow menace had yelled back at him and proved him wrong just a few hours earlier, he had been wracked with guilt, and the alcohol coursing through his veins was doing no help in suppressing it._

_“Uh y-yeah. He really did… '' Squidward anxiously stuttered, his left set of legs tapping nervously against the wood floor. Silence struck the room again, and Squidward watched as Mr. Krabs yawned. Not even a moment later, the silence was interrupted by Krabs’s intermittent snores. Squidward wasn’t surprised that he was asleep so quickly as his boss had a tendency to nap just about anywhere. After waiting another moment to make sure Mr. Krabs really was asleep, Squidward shakily stood up and made his way towards the front door. He looked back at the living room and sighed, his eyebrows upturned sadly at having to finally leave his second home for the night. He felt bad that he was leaving without telling anybody, but they knew where to find him if he was needed. Taking in a shaky breath and letting it out slowly, Squidward exited the house, making sure to not make too much noise._

_Squidward practically dragged himself home, not even sure how his body was able to move after all of that strong gin. The happy melodies and rambunctious celebrations of the town could be heard in the distance, making Squidward thankful that he lived a considerable length away from the center of town. As he made his way down Conch Street and turned onto his walkway, he gazed over toward the pineapple abode. The thought of going over to talk to Spongebob passed through his mind, but it was quickly discarded when he saw the lights go out through the window. Not wanting to be a burden on the poor sponge, Squidward begrudgingly entered his easter island head, crawled directly upstairs, and crashed into bed._

And that is exactly where he found himself now, extremely hungover and more exhausted than ever. Squidward stood up shakily and looked down at himself, skin crawling at the fact that he never changed out of his daytime clothes since yesterday morning. He went directly to the bathroom to take a shower, hoping the water would wash away the heavy guilt and worsening nausea that still swirled in the pit of his stomach.

\-------------------------  
“Oh, wow.”

“‘Wow’ is right. Gee golly, I knew it was gonna be bad, but I didn’t know it’d be THIS bad!”

Spongebob and Sandy glanced up at the treedome, shocked at the state it was in. Anti-mammal graffitti was plastered across the glass, so much so that they could barely even see Sandy’s tree. Small dents were etched into the metal of the front door, indicating someone had attempted to kick it open. Trash and rubble littered the once clean sand surrounding the dome. To top it all off, a large crack had formed, spanning from the base of the dome to its apex. Spongebob gasped when he caught sight of the remnants of the small flower garden he had planted for Sandy when the two had first met; it had been completely trampled over, and some of the flowers had even been physically ripped out of the ground. He was practically speechless. How could the townspeople he served everyday be capable of something as horrible as this? Then again, he supposed, the threat of potential doomsday could make even the sweetest people act insane. Spongebob fell to his knees in front of the remains of the garden, gingerly reaching out to run his finger along one of the wilting petals.

“Oh, Sandy! Your garden, it’s ruined!” Spongebob cried out. Sandy knelt down next to him, putting a comforting hand on his back.

“ I had a feelin’ that this here garden wasn’t gonna make it through all the chaos. I’m sorry, buddy. I know you worked hard on it, and I sure did love it… But we’re still here, right? I’d be honored if you’d plant a new garden fer me sometime.” Sandy smiled at the sponge, squeezing his shoulders in encouragement just like she had when she convinced him to not give up two days prior.

“You’re right, Sandy. We’re still here.” Spongebob nodded as Sandy took his hands in hers and pulled him back up on his feet.

“And I’d love to plant a new garden for you! It’ll be the best garden ever!”

Sandy chuckled at his enthusiasm and put her hands on her hips.

“I can’t wait to see it. I reckon it’ll be prettier than a sunset in the summertime! But first, let’s get the ol’ dome back into shape. She’s lookin’ sadder than a grill without barbeque meat.” Sandy grabbed a small device out of her pocket and pressed it against the glass. Spongebob watched her with curiosity. He had seen her use many different scientific devices in the past, but he hadn't seen that one before.

“Yeah, that makes sense… I think. I’ll help you with everything! Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it!”

“Thank you, Spongebob.” Sandy went silent for a moment as the device beeped and booped. A loud ding caused Spongebob to jump in surprise, but Sandy just smiled.

“Ok, so my diagnostic device is showing that the treedome is structurally sound for the most part. This here crack is definitely an issue, but it’s not as deep as it looks. It only managed to penetrate the first couple inches of the glass, but I engineered the dome to have extremely thick glass in the event of severe underwater storms, or in this case, an attack, so it’s not deep enough to let water in any time soon. I’ll just need to whip up a batch of my patented glass sealing solution, inject it into the crack, and ipso facto, it’ll look good as new! This graffiti can be easily scrubbed off and this here trash picked up, and as for the door, I’ve got a device that’ll even out all the dents by massaging the metal back into place. Those varmints can’t match the strength of my Texan design!” Sandy spoke quickly, almost as if she was in a trance. Her Texas accent grew stronger by the end of her rambling, and she tended to do that when she had a scientific breakthrough.

“Uh, sounds great, Sandy!” Spongebob offered a supportive thumbs up despite not understanding everything she was talking about. As Sandy ran a few more diagnostic checks, Spongebob’s phone started buzzing. It was an incoming call from Patrick, and Spongebob answered right away.

“Hello?”

“Hey, Sponge! How’s everything going at Sandy’s?

“Oh, it was horrible! You’ll have to stop by here on your way back from town to see it for yourself, I can’t even describe it. How was town, by the way?” As Spongebob talked, he watched as Sandy entered the treedome and made her way into her tree.

“Oh, yeah, that’s what I was calling you about! Everything’s going great! Everyone’s really helping each other out. We’ve already cleared a lot of rubble out of the main streets.”

“That’s great, Pat! Not to rush you but when do you think you’ll be heading back? I think Sandy’s gonna need both of us to help clean up the mess over here.”

“I’m coming back pretty soon, I just have to finish helping Mrs. Puff with moving some rocks off of her boat.”

“Ok, Pat, sounds good. See you soon, buddy!” Spongebob ended the call and returned the phone to his pocket just in time to see Sandy emerge back outside with a handful of supplies.

“I’m guessin’ that was Pat?”

“Uh huh. He said he’ll be stopping by here pretty soon to help.”

“Great! Well, until he gets here-” Sandy paused mid sentence and chucked a few cleaning rags at Spongebob, who stumbled a bit while catching them.

“-let’s get to work!”


End file.
